Health & Safety at Our School

Keeping our Families Safe

At GEMS Education, the health, safety and welfare of our students, staff and parents are of paramount importance. We have introduced enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of your child when they return to school. We have also been working closely with the UAE authorities and approved cleaning partners and rest assured, our operational practices will ensure that the school environment will be safe and secure for your child.

Preparing to Welcome you Back to School

Health & Safety Standards in our Schools

Our Health & Safety Heroes in Action

The safety and wellbeing of our students and school communities is unquestionably our number one priority. GEMS Education has 60 years’ experience of delivering the highest standards in Health and Safety across our schools, reflected in ‘outstanding’ and ‘very good’ ratings by education authorities in our annual Health and Safety inspections.

Unlike other schools, GEMS has a dedicated team of senior Health and Safety experts who have been diligently planning to ensure that our schools are ready to re-open in the new academic year, or whenever advised by the UAE authorities, in the safest way possible. On a daily basis we monitor and research the latest technologies and best practices, as schools around the world begin to re-open.

We have carried out deep cleaning and sanitisation programs throughout the current school closure period and have implemented medical and emergency procedures that meet and exceed both UAE and global standards.

Our school teams are prepared, trained and ready to welcome back our students into our safe and inclusive school environments when we are permitted to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is GEMS maintaining its schools ensuring they are clean and hygienic throughout this period of closure?

GEMS has engaged a Dubai Municipality-approved company to deliver preventative disinfection services. Schools have been deep cleaned and then disinfected top to bottom (including school resources – books, toys etc.) using hospital-grade anti-viral disinfectant that is widely used in healthcare facilities (such as the Cleveland Clinic). The products used are proven to be effective against coronavirus strains such as SARS and MERS, and are environmentally safe. A/C vents have also been fumigated in every school and additional hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed throughout all schools

What safety measures have been put in place by staff cleaning the schools?

All staff wear full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and follow a strict process of regular hand washing, replacing disposable items and social distancing. Each cleaning staff member enters and exits the school through a sterilisation tunnel and undergoes a compulsory temperature check at their accommodation.

How are cleaning staff transported between their accommodation and schools?

Staff buses are used to transport staff, with an increased cleaning and disinfection regime in place for staff buses using approved disinfectants. Buses are currently operating at reduced capacity to meet social distancing requirments. Cleaning staff are temperature checked upon leaving the company accommodation, prior to entering the bus.

Is GEMS checking people’s temperature at school?

Yes, all visitors to schools undergo a temperature check upon arrival, carried out by security guards. Those with a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius are not permitted to enter. This applies to all cleaners, contractors, etc.

Does GEMS follow any global health and safety standards?

GEMS follows the highest health and safety standards. GEMS is certified to ISO 45001, which is the global standard for health and safety management systems. GEMS is one of only very few globally accredited education companies that meet this ISO standard.

Does GEMS have a dedicated team to manage its response to Covid-19?

Yes, GEMS has established a taskforce that includes stakeholders from all relevant departments within the organisation. Moreover, each school has a dedicated team of central senior health and safety professionals and health and safety co-ordinators.

How is GEMS planning for the re-opening of schools?

GEMS has formed a taskforce specifically for this project, with input from multiple stakeholders. This taskforce is continuously reviewing and analysing practices that have already been adopted in certain European and Asian countries where students have already returned to school. It is also actively reviewing all technological aspects that could enhance health and safety standards at GEMS schools, including thermal imaging cameras and sanitisation tunnels.

How will GEMS ensure its service providers follow the same stringent health and safety standards?

All GEMS service providers are selected based upon their high health and safety standards. Our transport and facility maintenance companies, for example, are both ISO certified to the same high standards.